VyprVPN Expands for Iran Users

Golden Frog has been expanding their network to provide better service to users who suffer under the restrictions of Internet censorship. Very recently they opened a new server cluster in Turkey to enable users in the area to get better online privacy protection. But this server is also helping Internet users in Iran who have lately been dealing with the banning of VPN services on top of extensive Internet suppression.

New Turkey Server for Better Online Privacy

Golden Frog is a global software and Internet application development company that has provided the VyprVPN service for Internet access and security. VyprVPN is a personal Virtual Private Network service that helps users to remain private and safe online by encrypting their Internet connections. This also helps them to defeat the monitoring of their online activities by hackers, spies, ISPs and the government. With VyprVPN, all online communications are protected and therefore privacy is ensured. This makes it safe for VyprVPN users to use the tool to open their Internet access. Users can securely access restricted websites and other online services such as VoIP applications.

Turkey is in the process of drawing up a law that aims to require Internet users to open their Internet accounts to government monitoring. Their passwords and national identity numbers would need to be entered before they could use the Internet, and all of their Internet activities would be recorded. This poses a great threat to privacy, and VyprVPN has prepared to help Internet users in Turkey to protect themselves against this.

Golden Frog was founded to help users to keep their Internet open and free. The company continues to work towards this goal as more users all over the world face online privacy threats. It is not only the government that threatens user privacy, but allowing access to user accounts makes it easier for malicious persons to gain access as well. This puts users is greater danger as their systems and the data stored on them can be compromised as well as the sensitive information related to their Internet activities. Golden Frog has launched additional server clusters in new cities around the world this year to give all users the chance to regain their online privacy and freedom. Through VyprVPN, Internet users can now access the following servers to use the Internet safely and freely:

Asia – Hong Kong

Canada – Toronto

Denmark – Copenhagen

France – Paris

Germany – Frankfurt

Ireland – Dublin

Italy – Rome

Luxembourg

Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur

Netherlands – Amsterdam

Norway – Oslo

Romania – Bucharest

Russia – Moscow

Singapore – Singapore

Spain – Madrid

Sweden – Stockholm

Switzerland – Zurich

Turkey – Istanbul

U.K. – London

U.S. – Austin

U.S. – Los Angeles

U.S. – Miami

U.S. – Washington, D.C.

Internet Restrictions in Iran

Golden Frog has continually added VyprVPN server clusters in countries around the world to help users get a better and safer Internet experience. One of the newest server clusters is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The cluster was launched to help users there get better Internet privacy, and to help users in nearby countries to free their Internet. The Turkish VPN server cluster is available to all of Golden Frog’s VyprVPN customers who need greater access with a high level of security. One country that can benefit from the new Turkey servers is Iran.

Earlier this month, an Iran official announced that the creation of a legal VPN in Iran failed. The country proposed the creation of this state-sponsored VPN service to allow Internet users better access to the Internet while retaining control over its use. Creating legal Virtual Private Network (VPN) project has failed, and Internet access restrictions remain tight.

The reasons why the Iranian government wished to control Internet access remain cloudy, but citizens protested the move. Internet users in Iran are aware of the dangers of the Internet, from influences that negatively impact on their religious beliefs to the increased power of online criminals. But they maintain that they should be given the liberty to exercise their own judgment in these matters. They also note their rights to privacy and opportunities for advancement as reasons against the implementation of government controls over Internet access.

The Iranian government blocked most VPN services in March of this year. It was suspected to be a move to prevent mass protests over the upcoming elections. Iran has faced protests of this type before, and the use of VPNs has played a part in allowing freer speech regarding political opinion than the government would like. The Iranian government is known for attempts to suppress public opinion when they deem that such protests would create instability and unrest. During the last election in 2009, the public protested the result due to reports of brutality and election fraud. The news reached the corners of the globe through the Internet, and this led to the government’s stronger push for strict Internet controls.

VPNs were used by many Iranians prior to the ban as a tool for bypassing the extensive government restrictions that applied to Internet access. The Internet filter prevents Iranian Internet users from accessing many sites that the government has labeled offensive or criminal. At that time, the head of the Iranian parliament’s information and communications technology committee announced that only legal and registered VPNs would be permitted. Iranian citizens were promised the availability of registered VPN connections, but the implementation of state-sponsored VPNs has failed.

Failures in the area if Internet technologies are not new for Iran. In 2012, Iran blocked Google’s search and e-mail service in favor of a domestic Internet system. It was used by government agencies and offices for one week before it was reversed, the country’s telecommunications ministry committee claiming that the ban was an involuntary block. Since the VPN ban, some Internet users have been able to access websites and blocked communications services, but available technologies are limited.

Financial institutions and other organizations that need VPN access for security reasons are suffering along with everyday Internet users. They not only must wait for the government to solve their VPN problems, but must also adjust to VPN restrictions. Each VPN provider used must be registered on VPN.ir, which is not available outside of Iran. The domain uses a national private network and so traffic is limited to within the country. This poses serious issues for business growth in the international arena.

Iran is facing serious connectivity issues stemming from the government’s decision to restrict Internet access and ban VPN services. Internal politics is adversely affecting Iran’s Internet connectivity and the accessibility of uncensored information is deteriorating alongside everything else. Persian-language websites and other online services have been filtered out, and communications with several platforms has become very difficult. The infrastructure policies of the Telecommunication Company of Iran and Ministry of Information and Communications Technology are not feasible in light of their technological capabilities. And the increase in the censorship of Internet tools has just made the situation worse for economic growth.